Tue, May 05, 2009
2009's Mantra May Be "Crash and Burn"
GAMA has compiled the anxiously
awaited First Quarter stats for 2009 and we're afraid to tell you
that it is what we feared... bad news.
GAMA states that in the first three months of 2009, deliveries
of general aviation airplanes totaled 462 units, a 41.1 percent
drop from the same period last year, with industry billings falling
18.2 percent to $4.34 billion.
"This is an extremely difficult time for our industry," said
GAMA President and CEO, Pete Bunce.
"We are dealing first and foremost with the severe negative
effects of a worldwide economic downturn, but also with unwarranted
criticism focused on the industry. The result has been the
cancellation of orders for new airplanes and the loss of more than
15,000 high-paying jobs for American workers over the last several
months. The reality is that the U.S. general aviation industry
leads the world in innovation and remains one of the few American
industries with a positive balance of trade." Bunce added, "We will
continue to work with governments around the world to recognize
that general aviation can play a key role in propelling the
economic recovery."
The piston airplane segment was down 55.1 percent in the first
quarter, with 179 units delivered as compared to 399 airplanes in
the first three months of 2008. The turboprop segment was the only
segment that experienced growth in the first quarter with 92 units
delivered, up from 89 units during the same period in 2008 for a
3.4 percent increase. Business jet shipments fell 35.7 percent in
the first quarter with 191 airplanes delivered, as compared to 297
business jets in the first quarter of 2008.
FIRST QUARTER SHIPMENTS OF AIRPLANES
MANUFACTURED WORLDWIDE |
Category |
2008 |
2009 |
CHANGE |
Pistons |
399 |
179 |
-55.1% |
Turboprops |
89 |
92 |
+3.4% |
Business Jets |
297 |
191 |
-35.7% |
|
|
|
|
Total Shipments |
785 |
462 |
-41.1% |
Total Billings |
$5.30B |
$4.34B |
-18.2% |
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